Improvement in modes of laying flooring



O. MUDGE. Mode of Laying Flooring.-

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I NPETERS, FHOTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARSON MUDGE, OF BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIBDS HIS RIGHT TO EPHRAIM K. CONVERSE ANDTHOS. S. JOHNSON, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MODES OF LAYING FLOORING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202.187, dated April 9, 1878; application filed January 2, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARSON MUDGE, a resident of the city of Bay St. Louis, county of Hancock, and State of Mississippi, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mode of Securely Laying Flooring, Ceiling, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of nails, wherewith square-edged boards may be. laid with as much neatness and security as ordinary tongue-and-grooved planking, thus enabling persons of limited means to lay their flooring, &c., with perfectly tight joints, at a much less expense than heretofore possible; for, inasmuch as it will take less square-edged lumber to cover a given space than it will of tongue-and-grooved material, the thickness in each case being the same, a saving of measurement is made equal to the depth of the tongue or groove of each board, when multiplied by the total number of boards laid.

My invention will,however, be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawing, whereon it is clearly shown at both Figures 1 and 2, while Fig. 3 represents an ordinary nail, the head of which is hammered out or upset, so as to operate in a manner similar to the aforesaid figures. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a section of a flooring laid with my improved nails.

The nature of my invention consists in providing the body or shank of nails with tilted instead of square or right-angled heads, one

or more edges of which are made to project outward,in order that when the said nails are driven through the edges of a board their heads may serve as substitutes for the ordinary tongue or groove by simply driving the next board closely against that just laid before securing its outer edge, which is done, as in the former case, by driving the nails diagonally through the edges thereof.

From the above description it will be perceived that my invention permits the laying of flooring, ceiling, &c., without exposing the nail-heads, and without anypossibility of a loosening of the same by the nails working outward. At the same time a much less amount of material is employed than heretofore for said purposes, while the tightness of the joints will effectually preclude the lodgment of either dirt or water between the same, thereby preserving the material for a muc longer period of time.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As a new article of manufacture, a nail provided with a tilted head, one or more edges of which are so formed as to project beyond the edge of the board when the nail is driven to its place, so as to form a means for securing square-edged boards, as described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

J. O. HUBBELL, J. N. MiiLLER. 

